I may have a happy smile on my face getting a new Windows Vista enabled Dell Vostro 200 computer system, and would have expected the various software like Windows Live Messenger to be installed and working without a hitch; unfortunately no. Instead it gave me an “error 81000306: you cannot sign in to Windows Live Messenger”. So I thought “Ok, let’s look through the troubleshooting guide and see if it would get it working.” And went through the whole process. (more…)

After a week of slugging it out in the office on the ageing PC, my boss finally approved the purchase of new Dell Vostro 200 computer system as the old PC was affecting my ability to do anything with its sluggish speed. Quickly checking through the Dell online website, I narrowed down my choice to the Dell Vostro range. (more…)

I gave Ubuntu Linux a spin, trying not to use Windows XP for a week just to see how well it could be used in the day to day office work. Running it on the Dell Dimension 4500s, it was a tad faster than the Windows XP, probably it was more efficiently designed to work with the various hardware component. In fact, in the Dell website, Dell was in favour of Ubuntu over the other distro! (more…)

I needed a way to have access to my work messages without getting stuck on any single platform or computer. A quick check in the internet revealed three ways to move the message from Outlook to Gmail. (more…)

I have always wondered what the sleep vs. hibernate vs. the shutdown mode in Windows Vista meant. The last time I used the sleep mode it frozed my PC and it wouldn’t shutdown or startup properly. So while visiting a relative in Kuantan with nothing else much to do, I decided to explore the above three shutdown mode with my Dell Inspiron 1501 laptop. (more…)

I received this message from my BU4 Resident Yahoo group. It seems some insider within the bank is out to defraud the general public by folding RM50 note in the ATM, and when dispensed, it will count as two notes. Whoever did this inside the bank now get to keep the RM50 at bank account holder’s expense. (more…)

Since I don’t see my current slow and sluggish office PC will be upgraded any time soon. I’ve decided to do a full trial of using Linux, specifically Ubuntu Linux and see how it will compare against the Windows XP. Naturally, there will be lots of incompatibility, but I do need to boost some of my productivity and keep some sanity from a slow and sluggish computer. (more…)

Working for somebody, you could only use what equipment was given to you. An old PC is not a good way to boost your productivity, but what to do? Bosses can be such a miser even if the money does not belong to them and the company is making so much money only to be given away to the taxman. A case of penny wise pound foolish. (more…)